1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an engine starter mechanism arrangement for snow vehicles with a four-cycle engine installed thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, more and more four-cycle engines have come to be used for snow vehicles, and in snow vehicles with a four-cycle engine installed thereon, it is desired to lay out such that the overall height of the engine is made low so as to avoid interference between an engine hood or the optical path of a head light and the engine, and that the center of gravity of the engine is as closest as possible to the center of the vehicle body so as to improve traveling stability of the vehicle. For this reason, the engine is tilted rearward, for example.
Further, in the case where the engine is provided with a starter mechanism including a starter motor large in weight and volume, it is desired to lay out the starter mechanism in consideration of weight distribution of component parts thereof, and so as to avoid interference thereof with other component parts, such as a steering post, and to make effective use of space.
For example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-199380, a forward-tilted engine has been proposed in which a starter motor is disposed on a flywheel side of the engine opposite from an alternator to suppress the overall height of the engine. Also in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications (Kokai) No. 2002-201954, No. 2001-280111, and No. H05-149220, various designs have been proposed as to the disposition of a starter motor in the engine.
However, when a starter motor is disposed together with a clutch mechanism of a continuously variable transmission or the like, an oil pump, a balancer shaft, a magnet device, or other like components, it is important to dispose the starter motor with the relationship of the starter motor with these component parts, including weight distribution and positional relationship comprehensively taken into consideration, so as to improve traveling stability of the vehicle and suppress an increase in the size of the engine.
Further, if a starter-related component part, such as a starter limiter or a starter gear associated with the starter motor largely protrudes outward from the engine, not only space saving but also installment of the engine is hindered, and the degree of freedom in the layout of engine components within the engine room is limited. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the disposition of the starter motor together with the arrangement of the starter-related components.